The Thing About Slytherins
by HallowedInk
Summary: The thing about Slytherins is... Drabble series answering the question, what defines a group of people as a unit? Rating may change.
1. Bravery

_Right so, this is my latest project; a drabble series about those most wonderful, complex characters - the Slytherins! The idea of the series is to figure out the character of Slytherins as a whole, based on certain prompts._

_Disclaimer: (Goes for the whole story) Harry Potter belongs to JKR, not me._

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**The Thing About Slytherins**

_1. Bravery_

One day, Hagrid asked a group of fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins if anyone could see Thestrals. It wasn't a personal question - or at least it wasn't meant to be - but it still hit deep for those who could.

Three people raised their hands; Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom and Theodore Nott.

At least one other person should have raised his hand, but he didn't.

Blaise Zabini always thought it was rather Gryffindorish of Theodore - not because of the attention-seeking aspect, but because it had to have taken courage to admit to something like that.

Blaise is sure he doesn't have that courage, though.

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_Once a week updates for now. If I don't remember, PM me._


	2. Calculating

**The Thing About Slytherins**

_2. Calculating_

Three metres, he calculated, like a cat working out how much strength it was going to have to put into a jump. Three metres and all he was going to have to do was close his eyes and concentrate, and _for heaven's sakes he had done this before._

"Hey, Reggie, why so nervous?"

Yeah, Reggie, it's just apparating. Why so nervous?

But it was not the apparating, not really. It was the fact that this – if nothing else – meant that he was finally going to be able to become a Death Eater, and _oh God_, a _Death Eater_, wasn't this amazing. Finally.

But he was ever so nervous – a Death Eater! – and he really wasn't ready for this.

But really, he calculated, in the end it was just three metres.

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_I changed my mind about the one week updates, and decided to update twice a week instead, so this was meant to be out on Friday, but gave me so much rubbish when I tried to post it that it was delayed to today. On that note, expect the next one either tomorrow or Tuesday. And don't forget to PM me if I forget to post. At the very least I'd be able to reply and tell you why I haven't posted._


	3. Serendipity

**The Thing About Slytherins**

_3. Serendipity, dedicated to Yasmina_

Luck is not something that Slytherins are used to In any other House, it would be taken for granted that children have a happy life. The need to be cunning as a child would be pitied. But Slytherin is not any other House.

Theodore Nott's mother died at the end of the First War. Ever since then, his father drinks himself to sleep every night. Theo hopes that one day he might just drink himself to death as well.

Then he comes to Hogwarts. It is bliss; it is the prospect of eight months without his father there.

It is also the start of a quiet, unassuming, safe friendship with Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini. People who understand what he has been through because they have been through the same thing. And though the hatred never fades, Theo finds that maybe, just maybe, he can forgive his father someday.

Thank goodness that his father doesn't die in the Second War, then.

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_Aw, damn. I was meant to post this on Monday or something, but I forgot. Oh well, I'll post the next one now just to make up for it. And this is YOUR fault - even though I dont's know who you are - for not reminding me._

_Once a week updates for now. If I don't remember, PM me._


	4. Hatred

**The Thing About Slytherins**

_4. Hatred_

Other days, Theo hates his Dad. Some days it is just a mild throb, but other days the hatred fills him up so much that it starts overflowing out. Theo can almost imagine it rising up and up, contaminating his heart, filling his neck and head, and then pouring out of his mouth, colouring his words and making them hateful and dark.

Daphne solves his problem one day - sweet, sweet Daphne who is a Slytherin, but has never said an unkind of hateful word in her life. One day, Theo is in the middle of hating his father, hating school, hating the teachers, hating Daphne, hating himself, and Daphne marches right over to him and kisses him.

Since then, whenever Theo feels like he hates something he always goes to find Daphne, and she kisses him better.

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_Follow-on from the previous one. Oh, and I forgot to say in the pervious chapter: if a chapter is dedicated to someone then that is the person who came up with the prompt, otherwise it was me who came up with it._

_On another not, would anyone like to take these promts and do the same thing that I am doing for a different House? Gryff is taken, but Raven and Huffle are still up for grabs!_

_Once a week updates for now. If I don't remember, PM me._


	5. Media

**The Thing About Slytherins**

_5. Media, dedicated to Emily_

Publicity is something that is abhorred by everyone, but no one hates it more than Lucius Malfoy.

_Malfoy Home Reveals Dark Intents_, the Daily Prophet proclaims one day, and Lucius can see his lifelong pursuit of glory going down the drain. His family and his name, ruined. All he retains is his pride.

Then, when Harry Potter speaks for him and clears their family's name, even his pride is gone.

He blames the media.

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_One of my favourite ones, this one._

_Once a week updates for now. If I don't remember, PM me._

_EDIT: Sorry this is so late. Real life took a stand against Fanfiction!_


	6. Order

**The Thing About Slytherins**

_6. Order_

There are exactly four quills on the desk in Severus Snape's classroom. Four quills on the desk, four phials, and four rolls of parchment.

A fifth phial is sitting on the ground innocently by a table leg, as if it was placed there, and an equally innocent Hufflepuff comes along and helpfully picks it up and puts it on the desk – in a neat little row with all the rest.

"N—" It is not easy to be a teacher. He cannot protest; he must sit through the whole lesson like that, sweating and trying not to look but seeing the fifth phial anyway.

When the lesson is over, he takes it from his desk. This time – hands shaking – he shoves it in the desk drawer.

Order has been restored.

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_This one is soooo weird..._

_I'm posting all of the ones I have done to make up for my prolonged absense._


End file.
